When his keys were discussed I decided to indulge in this one today. I consider 1977 NYC Palladium my go to- and the years with Keith and Donna for me are fundamental --both were at their best here -

Keith makes me fall in love with him when he plays,,,,, :)

Charlie Miller thanks to you and Miss Betty for the best- Santa Cruz loves you!

Keith goes off throughout 1st and 2nd sets. He is having fun with his Moog keyboard. Sounds out of this world. Not the smoothest show as most of these arrangements were still in development, but you get some very different styles from the May '77 norm, which I like.

This was my first show, sat the Press Box and had back stages passes. My friend David and I ran into Jerry during the set break heading into the buffet room.

Listening to this on the 43rd anniversary of the show. Usually on the 1989 tour bus with the whole quarantine thing. Since there was a sizable break in the 89 tour at this point thought I would go to the ole 1977 standby spring tour. Plus, being near Philly why not a good old Spectrum show. Sitting here listening to Looks like Rain and Donna sounds like a grammy award winning vocalist of the year! Throughout the show she is spot on. Bobby and her are actually in harmony and what a blessing Donna was when Donna was on. If you are a Donna lover, this is a show for you.

First one for the east coast after Winterland pairing debut

stay for the playin atleast o.o
gooey and mellow, also Keith shines

They take some time getting each song started but these are some of the best first set jams I've heard in a LONG time.

These 1977 shows (Englishtown was my first) are not to be missed.

I love the way this recording starts. It's like your walking into the show and the the crowd is going berzerk!!!!

The Estimated Prophet is very tight and the Playing In The Band is engaging and never ponderous. I did a double take that it ends the first set in '77.
The tape and the mix are impressive. Do not overlook this show.

Disco Juicy, Extra Gloopy, hand me a bruski, Napalm Infused, Donovan Approved, Pop Up (tm) Fiery Mountains!

This show was the first time I saw the Dead. Terrapin Station came out in June of 77 I think. I was unfamiliar with the new tunes. Bobby and Jerry and Phil were still experimenting with those TS tunes. They tore down the house with Begonias and Fire. A real good show even though there was no encore.

Can't believe I found this site, this is great soundin material, The Spectrum was where I saw the Dead the most. "Samson and Delilah" is excellent. Great mix and recording. Jerry sounds on, Sounds like he is playin' the Wolf.
Jim

Is that a Lady Madonna riff I hear Keith noodling as Dancin' dissolves into Wheel???

Seriuosly, do not sleep on these pre May shows, they are not to be missed! The next night in Springfield is a smoker as well.

Also, love to hear Keith sprinkling in blips, bleeps, and atmospheric drones from the Moog throughout the evening.

Quality stuff!

-mellotone

Grate remaster by C Miller. I thought during Halfstep maybe this show was going to be a little lazy but it just kept getting better. Somewhere about ten or eleven minutes into Playing In the Band it got plain cosmic.

They ended the show with Terrapin. Where's the encore? friggin amazing show!

fabled spring '77 tour launches solidly. the closing trio of songs in the first set are noteworthy, with a very cool estimated, a peggy-o where you can actually hear what bobby is playing/adding, and then an absolutely sick playing, one where the two drummers sound like an octopus and everyone is really listening to each other. as good as they come, imo.

the fire is excellent, particularly keith, and as is often the case, it's the recording that makes it so. the samson is cool for the very long silence between the penultimate and final tearing down of the proverbial building. the terrapin is sweet, too.

the best thing about the archive: i can go on tour while i'm working! i've heard about a third of these, but not in order. so, here goes...

If you ever find a moment to escape all your worries, plans, fears, doubts, hopes, desires, and whatever else preoccupies you, and can just sit down contentedly with headphones on and a feeling that everything is feeling just right, that the past and future have a way of working themselves out, and that to steal this moment for your own pleasure is something you deserve...listen to this Playin'.

I think this show magical!! And this FIRE is probably one of the BEST ive heard!!!!! It isnt very often that i find a show that brings tears of joy to me

Not going to be long winded here, great great stuff on this including of course a monster playin and wonderful ***** Scarlet>Fire which was still a pretty new commodity and not the show anchor it was later... Whole first set is flawless. Listen closely to Playin and see if it does not remind you of 4/17/83 Byrne with Steven Stills crap version on this site - need a low gen D5 audience.

After Sampson the show falters a bit.

Great sound throughout. Hot version of Deal, a tight Tennessee Jet, and nice Estimated Prophet. But the first set is better than the second. Dancing/Mojo is a bit repetative.

Many reviewers are saying that there are better '77 shows, which is true, but there are also many better shows from previous years as well, including 1976.

As with countless other shows, having the SBD is a 180 degree releif. Yes there is an occassional patch, but who cares, tuning and taking an inordinate amount of time between songs was a norm for 77'. I remember Peggy-o as it was yesterday, great Jerry voice with conviction!. The heads were repeating the Mojo jam in the lot after the show. The Playin enhanced our psychedllic brains furhter than you can imagine. It was a purple barrell experiment that was rewarding to say the least. 5 for the show, 5 for the recording, do not pass this one up, I like these (23rd too) over the May run.

Since the prior 3 shows at Winterland were at "home base", this show is properly the beginning of their 1977 tour - and they roar out of the starting gate like a rocket. The Spectrum - did they EVER play a bad show there? Here's a little box set idea - 9/21/72, 3/24/73 and this show. Call it "Trippin at the Spectrum".
I had initially overlooked April 77 entirely before LAMA came along. All that seemed to circulate were
AUD tapes, and I was more interested in MAY 77 for
obvious reasons. But let me tell you - this show blew
me away!! And I thought I'd heard all the good 1977.
Except for a couple of AUD patches, the sound is
A+ as only 77 can be. Some of the songs have long
periods of tuning and chatter at the end - this might annoy some folks, it doesn't me. The balance is good throughout, and Donna behaves herself.
Again, one of those like 3/19/77 where the first set almosts eclipses the second. Hot versions of Deal and Tenn Jed. A rare first set Estimated that's
right out of Jamaica, with an extra funky wah-wah from Jerry that sounds like whales singing at the bottom of the sea. And nice (rare) organ playing from Keith. If this version doesn't get your butt moving, check your pulse! A great Peggy O follows
that's as sweet as a summer breeze, where Jerry's voice gives you goose bumps.
The Playin is noteworthy in that it's the last time they would close Set One with this song in 1977, Bobby preferring to close with Music or Dancin after this, or in the fall of 77, Let it Grow. Although Playin moves to Set Two where it embarks on other adventures through the year, this version leaves nothing to be desired. Mellow and spacey with lots of
amazing finger runs from Garcia and some rare synth work from Keith. This is about as close to Dark Star as you'll hear in 1977, and deserves repeated listenings.
The Scarlet>Fire gets a bit shaky in the transition, since they've only done it once before at this point, but the playing is excellent, and it succeeds in getting the set off to a good start. The Dancin is tight and well jammed, with a surprise Mojo thrown in for good measure. The Mojo features some hot "Cumberland" style licks from Jerry. And then a tasteful Terrapin builds to a blazing ending that brings the house down. I'm done, flip me over!
Not one of my top ten, but still well worth 4 stars.
Can they top this performance on 4/23? I'll let you know as soon as I get it!!
cheers,
Dr. Flashback :-)

Betty Boards are the BEST!
So many fine recordings from the great Mrs. Cantor-Jackson.

5 for sound and 5 for show (pretty much every 77 show for that matter).
Got MY Mojo WOrkin was a nice rare treat.

June 21, 2005:
Let me tell you, for comparison sake, this download is just about as clear and well-mixed as the 4-30-77 show which I recently downloaded at the GD Store. Sound is five skull material. No question. The show...it's another great 1977 show but I haven't listened to it all yet, sorry, but I do that. I do know that the Playin' just might be the best I've heard from '77. Very drippy and trippy. I'm giving this download a FOUR until further notice.

07-19-05 UPDATE: I've listened to this show a few times now and I'm sticking to my 4 skullstar rating. Highlights would be another great '77 rendition of Peggy-O, the excellent Playin', a worthy Scarlet/Fire and the Wheel>Terrapin ending. A very solid outing here, maybe not one of my favorites of '77 but it's a keeper nonetheless.

This sound is excellent! Thank you